Sleep Tight, Slugger! Goodnight, Baseball by Michael Dahl

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME!

A boy and his dad head out to the giant stadium just outside of town, joining the crowd pushing through the turnstiles, and emerging into the sunlight with a view of that glowing green field with its bright white bases and baselines! For generations little baseball fans have gone out with their parents to share the fun and rituals of the game.

WE EAT POPCORN AND HOT DOGS AND DRINKS IN OUR LAPS.
WITH THE NAMES OF OUR FAVORITE TEAM BRIGHT ON OUR CAPS!

It's a memorable experience for a young boy, who hopefully lugs along his glove and joins the crowd in the bleachers at Rocket Stadium to wait for the umps to call "Play ball!"

And this game is everything a young fan could want--the crack of the bat, a homer hit way over the fence, and best of all, a foul ball that amazingly lands... right in the young fan's own glove, a ball that he'll always have to recall his first ballgame with Dad.

And when the big game is over, and the rising moon, looking like a scuffed-up game ball, rises over the city, there's one happy boy, holding his glove with the baseball folded safely inside, who curls up contentedly and falls asleep in the car on the way out of the park.

GOODNIGHT DIAMOND, GOODNIGHT GRASS.
GOODNIGHT, HOMEPLATE, WHERE EACH RUNNER RAN PAST.

Author Michael Dahl and artist Christine Forshay capture an idyllic view of a child's first baseball game in their Goodnight Baseball (Capstone Young Readers) (Sports Illustrated Kids) (Capstone/Sports Illustrated Kids, 2013), with Forshay's illustrations extending the simple text, adding the heady ambiance of the size and colors of the field and the excitement of the crowd. Along with Brian Lies' wonderful Bats at the Ballgame, this book makes a nice introduction to the ballpark experience. And... read Dahl's book last for its calming image of the young baseball fan back home in bed snuggled up and sleeping, still holding his glove and souvenir ball.